Ladakh, it's a region that we all resonate with beautiful snow capped mountains, crystal clear rivers and lakes, but after my recent visit to Ladakh that has all changed. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Ladakh now is the Indian army. Ladakh is rugged, a land where you might not come across vegetation for hours. It is a land full of challenges, challenges that us as tourists only experience for a short period, but our Army is there 365 days a year. Ladakh is a land where tourists fall sick if they exert themselves by maybe even just walking a bit too much, a land where tourists are advised to take bed rest for 48 hours. But our army, they are there for us, running across valleys, building roads for our convenience, protecting our borders at 19,000 feet in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Celsius. For us going to Ladakh is a leisurely activity, we go there to have fun, to enjoy the breathtaking views, but our army is not there for that purpose, they put their life in danger so that we in our cities can live a luxurious life. I would like to share a personal experience, across Ladakh whenever I would stop to go  to any army mess I would be welcomed with steaming hot water, tea, biscuits, fritters and a smile of the soldiers! Despite all the odds, our army is doing everything so that we can have a leisurely and enjoyable trip. We take things for granted, we get hastled if our food is five minutes late, but there in that region, our soldiers stationed in areas such as Siachen might even skip a meal for days, but in their mind they see a smile, a smile of 1.2 Billion Indians, which keeps them going. Lastly, I would like to appeal to every Indian, to appreciate not only our soldiers stationed in Ladakh, but all those soldiers, may they even be cooks in Army messes, Generals in Delhi, or a soldier you see at an airport. Give them a smile, salute them, appreciate their efforts. That is what gets them going, and each time they face a difficulty at either 19,000ft, in the plains of Punjab, or in the harsh deserts of Rajasthan they'd remember that smile. And get going, as what lies ahead for them is service for our great nation. India.